Rail-joint.



Patented Mg. II, I902.

J. DIEHL.

BAIL .m m'r. (Application filed Nov. 12, 1901.?

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT O EicE.

JACOB DIEHL, OF WEST NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WM. H. SCHMIDT AND E. H. SCHMIDT, OF EST NEW JERSEY.

YORK, NEYV RAIL-JOINT.

srnormcnzrton forming part of LettersPatent no. 694,949, dated March 1 1, 1902. Application filed November 12, 1901. Serial No. 82,051. (No model.)

To all whom; it natty concern:

Be it known that I, 310013 DIEHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at West New York, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints; and I do hereby declare the following tube a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same. This invention relates torail-joints which in their organization embody a base, side stays, one stay being integral with the base and the other separate therefrom, a'stop integral with the said base, and a key to be forced home between the aforesaid stop and the removable stay for holding the latter in place, the tWo stays overlapping the joint between the proximal ends of adjacent rails and having interlocking connection therewith.

The purpose of this invention is to improve the general construction and provide anovel means for securing the key when in place; also, to devise a means fortightening and loosening the key without requiring the use of a hammer and which cannot always be used to advantage. 7 I

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof, and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for eifecting the result, reference is to be had 'to the following description and drawings hereto attached. 7

While the essential and characteristic fea tures of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which-= Figure l is aperspective view of a rail-joint embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l with the key and removable stay omitted. Fig. 3 is a top view, parts being broken away and showing the means for positively moving the key either to tighten or to loosen it. Figniis a transverse section about on the line X X of Fig. 3. Fig. is a detail perspective'view of an end portion of the key.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The rail-joint comprises the base 1, stays 2 and 3, stop 4:, and key 5. The stay 2 and stop 4 are integral parts of the base 1 and are spaced apart a distance to receive between them the movable stay 3, key 5, and rails 6. The fixed stay 2 is provided in its inner face with vertical grooves. and laterally-extending studs 8, and the movable stay 3 has core responding grooves 9 in its inner face to receive the terminals of the studsS, projecting beyond the side of the web of the rails adjacent. to the stay 3. The vertical grooves 7and 9 break the continuity of'the faces of the stays adjacent to the sides of the rails and enable a better contact being obtained. The grooves Q in addition to the aforesaid function receive the projecting ends of the studs 8, thereby providing a support for the said studs at each side of the rails. The stay 3 is separate from the base in order to admit of placing the rails in position, and the inner faces or sides of the stays are similarly con-' Vertical grooves are formed in the outer face or'edge of the movable stay3 and corresponding grooves 11 formed in the inner face or edge of the. stop 4, so as to enable abetter and closercontact being had between adjacent sides of the key 5 and the parts 3 and 4:.

The key 5 tapers very slightly in length and is of wedge form in transverse section, the side adjacent to the stop 4 being inclined, so as to interlock with said-stop and prevent vertical displacement of the key and stay 3 after the parts have been properly positioned. When the key is forced home between the movable stay 3 and stop 4, it may besecured against casual displacement either by means of a cotter 12 or astop 13, the latter being formed by nicking the key by means of a cold-chisel or like'tool, said step projecting into one of the tion 14 to enter a notch or depression 15, so as to prevent accidental displacement of the cotter when in place. When in position, the cotter interlocks with the key 5 and stop 4 by entering notches therein. The cotter is removed by the application of sufficient force thereto to cause the projection 14: to ride upon a wall of the notch. 15 and automatically disengage itself therefrom.

A vertical notch or groove 16 is formed in the inner faces of the stop 4, and a series of corresponding notches or grooves 17 are provided in the outer face of the key 5 and are adapted to cooperate with an implement 18 for positively moving the key 5 either in or out, as may be required either to tighten said key or to loosen it. The notch or groove 16 is formed in the wall of one of the grooves 11, and the notches or grooves 17 are closely related and extend in parallelism and form,in effect, a series of cogs, which cooperate with the implement l8 to'effect a longitudinal movement of the key step. by step. The implement 18 is flat at one end, and its opposite end may be provided with a suitable handle, the flat end being introduced in the vertical notch or groove 16 and in one of the notches or grooves 17, and upon turning the implement either to the right or to the left the key 5 is correspondingly moved in a longitudinal direction, which may serve either to tighten the key or to loosen it, as required. After the implement has been turned so as to withdraw its edge from engagement with the notch or groove 17 it is removed and again replaced, so as to enter the notch or groove 16 and the proximal notch or groove 17, when a repetition of the operation moves the key farther in the desired direction, and this operation is repeated until the key is either sufficiently tightened or loosened. tVhen the key is tightened and the cotter 12 is used, it is fitted into the vertical notch or groove 16 and the adjacent notch or groove 17, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1.

- Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a rail-joint, a base, side stays arranged upon opposite sides of the end portions of adjacent rails and having vertical grooves in I 2. In a rail-j oint, a base, side stays arranged upon opposite sides of the rails, one of the stays being integral with the base and the other separate therefrom, a stop forming a part of thebase, the said stop and movable stay having grooves in their proximal edges or faces, and a key fitted between the said stop and movable stay for securing the latter, substantially as set forth.

3. In arail-joint, a base and fixed stay and stop, a second stay located in the space formed between the fixed stay and stop, a key fitted in the space between the said stop and movable stay, the face or edge of one of the parts bordering upon the key-seat being grooved, and means cooperating with the said groove and key for securing the latter when in place, substantially as specified.

4.. In a rail-joint, a base, stays located upon opposite sides of the end portion of adjacent rails, a stop, a key adapted to be introduced between the said stop and the proximal stay for clamping the stays against opposite sides of the rail, and corresponding notches or grooves between adjacent sides of the key and stop, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a rail-joint, a base, corresponding side stays, a fixed stop, a key'adapted to be introduced between said stop and adjacent stay, adjacent sides of the key and stop having corresponding vertical grooves or notches, and an implement adapted for cooperation with the said notches or grooves to efiect a positive longitudinal movement of the key in either direction, substantially as set forth.

. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB DIEHL.

Witnesses:

EDWARD H. SCHMIDT, CHARLES Torrens. 

